Here is a look at the Top 5 Airbag Packs on the market today.
1. WARY: AviPack 23L $799.00
Pros: Designed by Alaskan heliski guides the AviPack 23L is a well thought out pack built from the ground up with one thing in mind, avalanche safety.
Cons: WARY products can be hard to find but you can pick up any of their products via their website thewary.com
2. ABS: Vario 25 $1,099
Pros: ABS has been designing and testing airbag systems for longer than just about anyone. Drawing on all this experience ABS has come up with the Vario base unit. The Vario base unit (catridge of nitrogen and airbag) has six zip-on packs ranging from 5-40 liters. This means you can adjust the size of your pack based on how long you plan on being in the backcountry.
Cons: At just under seven pounds the ABS Vario 25 is heavier than other systems on the market.
3. Backcountry Access: Float 22 $675
Pros: This lightweight (5.5 pounds) airbag pack is one of the most affordable on the market today.
Cons: At just 22-liters the Float 22 Airbag Pack is a small pack for anything more than a short day trip into the backcountry. However, the airbag system and cylinder is interchangeable with the larger Float 32.
4. The North Face: Patrol 24 ABS $1,179
Pros: The twin airbag systems adds an extra layer of safety in the event that one airbag is punctured.
Cons: With a price tag of $1,179 it’s obvious your paying for the North Face name.
5. Mammut: Ride R.A.S. 30 $874
Pros: The lightweight R.A.S. (Removable Airbag System) 30 weights in at just 5.3 pounds but still has plenty of room for a day out in the mountains.
Cons: No dedicated loop for diagonal ski carry.
there is also a bca float 40
No float 40 this year. a float 32 is out and has more storage capacity than the 36 with the redesign of the engine compartment. Also if you buy the 22 pack (sans bag or detonator), you can switch the guts between the packs
you guys missed the mystery ranch blackjack,
http://www.mysteryranch.com/adventure/skiing-snowboarding-packs/blackjack-pack
North Face is just using ABS system in their packs, it’s not actually a North Face design. See BCA Float 32 for a larger pack that is made for ski touring.
No mention of SNOWPULSE? I really enjoy the features of mine….Never had to pull the handle other than before getting on the plane.
agreed- snowpulse should be up here.
also, north face is making their (greatest product of all time) powder guide vest this season with an abs unit in the middle. not sure when its available, but im looking forward to see how it performs
Looks like The Wary also has an Avy Vest : http://thewary.com/vest/index.php
Curious how those would work if you have a backpack on already.
@cupcake the entire point of the vest is to be able to cary your avy gear without having to have a backpack on, you would never wear the west and the backpack together
I see. I guess great for slackcountry or heli, but without a ski/board carry system or a enough room for water it’s not as versatile as a backpack.
In the original (non ABS version) theres a pocket between the shoulder blades that fits a hydration bladder nicely, but youre right, the vest is for short days, not long trips. it also makes for an easy way to be safe on a resort day or be able to jump in and out of bounds without planning. it kind of feels like youre wearing nothing, so i use it all the time now
yeah, its designed to replace the backpack
give the vest thing a shot. the north face one holds everything you could want for a single day out and distributes the weight so evenly and securely around you that once i tried it i never wanted to carry a pack again. its amazing.
Mammut bought out snowpulse
Snowpulse should be on here.
Snowpulse’s life bag is a better design than most in the market. They are bought by Mammut, but they are still sold independently for this year. Mammut only has their RAS system for now.
Recco jacket……check
Avalanche beacon……check
Avalung vest…….check
Airbag backpack……..check
Helmet…….check
Couple thousand dollars worth of gear that won’t do shit if you get slammed against a tree or immovable object. I hope that airbag can help you float over the 100′ cliff you just got pushed over
Don’t buy into the marketing hype.
Beacon, probe & shovel. Take a class and educate yourself on snow and weather conditions.
LEARN HOW TO USE THE GEAR. It might help you save someone else’s life, maybe.
Nobody should expect an Airbag pack, Avalung, or any of those things you listed to be an automatic avalanche survival piece of equipment. They are just tools that can help us survive if we make a mistake. If you don’t allow any of these new technologies to have an affect on your “old” risk management strategy than yes, they can be a HUGE tool in surviving in the backcountry.
no dude… if you have a recco tag on one of your poles youre good. or your hat or goggles. why carry all that heavy gear?
hahahahaha, yea thats allll y aneed………..
beacopn probe shovel overnight food water and a pack that carries skiis
and as much knowledge as ya can put in between your ears.
dude, contradictary much?
yea im a great speller.
right on heckler.
none of that will do anything in da chimmmmmmmmmmney
hahahahah
I would differ on that for a few reasons… plus after last years incident and Elyse making it through… Everything that increases survival rates is good. They are spendy, but not too overly. BCA really did us all a service in lowering the costs. (though you really just by 2 items now rather than one… so i guess the cost is nearly the same)
I added a Float 36 last year along with taking a avi refresher again. I don’t feel safer, but do feel more prepared, more informed and will be there for my buddies if anything happens due to the unpredictable nature of the mountains.
which is best ya think UN?
Not really any answer to the question though, the post is barely a short description of each
i forget how many trolls are on this site.
The Mammut RAS Ride 30 does have a ski loop to diagonal carry. I have one and this pack carries and ski’s great. Perfect size for a day tour. They have a new 35 liter top loading pack for this year which looks really good. Waiting to see one of those.